Soma
by Echofalls
Summary: In the airborne city of San-Helios the seeds of destruction are being sown. Plots from long ago that threaten to tear down humanity's last safe bastion are coming full circle, and humanity's only hope rests on those who struggle to distinguish their present lives from memories of long, long, long ago...
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1: Skyborne Paradise _

_8453 AD _

_The City of San-Helios is a city that floats perpetually above the surface of the world below. Within it's walls, people live without worry, living in a city built and powered by human technology. They live in subtle fear of the world below, and the monsters that haunt the world beneath... _

'Shoo! Shoo!'

Every day Dr James Arvoy had to deal with chickens on his doorstep. Judging by the grains of food mixed with bird crap, he had a sneaking suspicion his neighbour, Mr Casey was behind this... Himself and the old man had a long standing feud...

So long standing infact that James wondered if anyone remembered what it had started over. Myabe he should start dumping bird feed on _his_ doorstep and see how Casey liked it! No, no. James would likely stick another post-it note through his letterbox and hoped it stuck to Casey's expensive carpet.

The trains were on time, as usual, everything within the city ran like clockwork. He stood amidst the crowd, staring out of a window at the drop to the earth far, far below, and a serene blue ocean that the city currently floated over. His journey took a rough ten minutes, but he finally manged to reach his office in city hall. He strode into the foyer, his watch suddenly beeping a shrill chord.  
'Oops.'  
He switched it off before withdrawing a small plastic pot from within a pocket, filled with small triangular pills. He swallowed one, shuddering at the vile taste and shaking his head to clear his thoughts before hurrying on to his office.

Through the large window he had an excellent view of the ocean and clear blue skies, just another day in San-Helios. He placed a pen and notepad on the glass topped table before him. From here was not the most peaceful place; he was right next door to the Temple, he could hear people praying to Anatoa, the Golden Goddess. James himself, he held no faith in Her, but he did enjoy old tales, ancient tales, tales that had somehow drifted up from the world beneath... Tales of a six-armed "Mighty Destroyer" who, in a time of darkness, had held the world safe in the palm of one hand, the others used to tear asunder darkness and light alike. He sounded _badass._

'_Dr Arvoy?'_ A female voice trembled from the intercom.  
'Yes, Fiona?'  
'_Y-your patient is here... He's early.'_  
'Send him in- and stop cowering behind your desk, girl.' James retrieved a file and laid it on the table next to the notepad, it was thick, but only the first two pages were psychological and medical analysis, the rest were bills for broken furniture, equipment, and damage to property.  
It was- all things considered, rather bizzare that the patient could do all this...

His brown eyes closed in amusement before he decided to just get it over with.

'Hey, Doc...'  
Allen Ashcroft was a bizzare patient, a tall, slim man, platinum blond hair tied in a ponytail and black glasses framing sapphire eyes. He was too timid at most times to even hurt a fly.  
'Take a seat. Have you been keeping well?' James greeted him with a small smile, both of them were neither any older than their mid 20's.  
'Yeah. I-I just feel that I'm doing better, the drugs help a lot.'

Allen's only fault was that he sometimes suffered from terrible bouts of rage, luckily only furniture got broken and no-one had yet to be hurt. James had perscribed drugs to stop them, and they seemed to work.  
'Sometimes... I get terrible anxiety attacks...'  
'Oh?' The doctor continued to make notes.  
'It's usually at work.'  
'Stressful?'  
Allen bowed his head, staring at the floor.  
'I remind you it's all confidential.'  
'Yes... It's stressful.' He brought his knees up and hugged them. 'I've been having strange dreams too. Ancient times and reality bending powers, old Gods... Then there's this sense...'  
Even as he spoke his attitude changed, hands shifting to grip the arms of the chair, posture becoming more confident, ire rising in his voice.  
'This sense of fury at those who prey on the weak. It makes me just want to-!'

James decided to stop it before any more of his precious glass ornaments suffered. 'Have you been taking your medication, Mr Ashcroft?'  
The anger vanished, Allen hugged himself again. 'Y-yeah. Sorry, Doc... I-I just... Lost control.'  
'Fine, fine... Let us continue.'


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2: The Snap _

Allen had once taken up martial arts- and all other varities of hand to hand and fighting styles, his tutors had called him a natural. But the shifting hours of his work had made this an impossibility now. His boss was Anne Marie StClaire, a fat pig of a woman who spent her entire time leaning over people's shoulders in the cube farm of offices. Latte in one hand, and a doughnut in another she was a horror to find her shadow cast over you, criticisms spilling forth like venon from a foul serpent.

He liked to be left alone, left alone to work in peace without Anne Marie staring down over him, dripping latte foam and doughnut cream onto his shoulder and desk, and Peter in the next cubicle over forever "borrowing" things from his desk without asking. But he had remained calm against it all. A good thing for those drugs.

Yet again, came another challenge to test his paitence.  
'So... What's all this then?'  
'Finishing off that report you wanted on those missing people.' Was his reply, crumbs falling down from above and lodging in his keyboard, a large blob of cream landed on the right side.  
'It's badly formatted, reformat it before sending it to my desk, or it's going straight in the bin.' Anne Marie, in all her overweight arrogance, felt the chance to humiliate him further.  
'Hey, everybody, Mr Ashcroft's decided to try and get away with sloppy work once again! I expect everyone here to work double hard!'  
He took a deep breath, heart thumping hard with building blood pressure.  
His feather topped pen had gone missing too... Peter was using it!  
_Fury... Building..._  
The final straw was the droplets of her hot latte landing on his shoulder, sinking into his collar and scalding the skin beneath, by that point he didn't even feel it. Anne Marie had moved on to pester Peter, with shaking hands he reached for the pot of perscribed drugs, it felt light, he shook it. _Empty_.

Feeling another anxiety attack building, he stood up... to reach the restroom... Just... Just to splash water on his face...  
Something inside him snapped. No, snapped was the wrong word. The anxiety attack turned into an abrupt tranquility, his blood aflame.  
'Anne Marie.'  
'Huh?' She looked to him, a foam moustache from her latte. 'Something you want, Ashcroft?'  
'Yeah...' He strode fowards, one hand calmly on her shoulder-  
Then slammed her head into a wall, hard enough to break her nose.

'W-What the hell's wrong with you?! Y-you're fired!'  
He didn't answer her, striding past he turned his attention to Peter as he stood up, giving thumbs up.  
'Dude, great move. Someone had to-Ugh!'  
The punch he recieved dislocated his jaw and knocked several teeth flying.

At the same time as Allen's own freak out, James was experiencing some bizzarity on his own end.

'What do you mean Mr Waite won't be seeing me anymore?'

'He's going through a rough time. His daughter just died.' the blonde haired woman before him held a clipboard to her chest. 'City Guard say that he killed her, he's been arrested.'  
'What?' James looked up. 'He'd never do something like that, I've been through his psyche profile several times, there's nothing here that would suggest he'd murder her.'  
'It's what people on the street are saying... One more thing, Dr Arvoy. He told you to call this number.'  
She held out a card, embossed in blue with a number.  
'Please, leave me, Fiona.'  
She did so, leaving him to call it up.

'Hello?'

'_Dr Arvoy, please... Do not react to this message. I know that they'll try to get at me any way they can.. Soon. I don't have any will left to carry this fight out, and I... I hope that you can do it. That ornament I gave you... It has a key within it. That key leads behind the gold door in the City's Temple. I pray for your success...'_  
The recorded message cut off. James lowered the phone, staring at it with confusion. That ornament; the dolphin shaped planter. It was one of the very rare things that had not been broken in one of Allen's pre-drug rages and now James was about to break it.

With a sigh he smashed it on the floor. Amidst the shards of broken pottery, a golden key clattered across the carpet. The gold door in Anatoa's Temple. It was _always_ locked.

What could be inside...?

'Doctor! Doctor! Dr Arvoy!'  
Allen Ashcroft tackled him in the City Hall foyer, both of them crashed to the floor, Allen's glasses falling off and skittering away.  
'I-I need... I need help... I lost it and punched my boss and a co-worker.'  
'Mhmm... Could you get off me please, people might start to... _wonder._'  
The platinum blond stood up, looking around for his lost glasses. He finally found them a short distance away. A most curious thing... He squinted through the lenses before pulling them off again and blinking in surprise. His vision was clearer without the glasses... When did that happen?

Within Anatoa's temple, the walls were made of gold, inscribed with ancient texts that spoke of times long ago. A great statue of the Goddess formed from pure gold, a woman in flowing clothes, the tips of the clothes turning into tails or tendrils of some sort. James had always found it subtly disturbing in a way he could not explain. At the far end of the vast hall was a door that was always left locked, perhaps it was some sort of inner sanctum. The priests never went in there either- speaking of the priests... They were even weirder, tall, hulking figures clad in shadows and faded golden robes, they wore hoods to hide their faces and there seemed to be something unusual about the way in which they moved...

The key fitted the door and unlocked with a click.

Beyond the golden walls were covered in strange symbols not of this earth, in the centre of the room was a large pedestal, upon which was a most peculiar golden pyramid about the size of a ruubix cube. James was drawn to it immediatly, was it just his imagination, or could he hear strange voices whispering just out of focus.

'What could this be...?' James looked it over from a safe distance, staying outside the numerous golden rings on the floor.  
Ashcroft was far more bold, surprisingly, he reached out and took the thing from it's pedestal. Surprisingly, nothing exploded or sounded an alarm. The presence in the air changed, but that was all.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3: Hunted. _

The strange golden pyramid felt oddly warm in James' pocket as they strode down the streets of San-Helios. Was it just his own imagination, or were the guards' eyes following him? He and Allen picked up the pace when footsteps fell into synch with theirs, a quick glance at their own reflections in a shop window confirmed what James had guessed; The city guard chasing them.  
'Over here, quickly.'  
Ashcroft followed as they boarded a train.

Had the guards followed them on? They were now pushing their way through the crowds to reach the two of them. On the ceiling of each carrige was a bright blue security surveillence strip, monitoring each of them for trouble. Against San-Helios' own computer logic, the doors to the carrige containing Allen and James opened.  
'_Leave, James.'_ A familliar voice spoke over the announcement system.  
'What?' he poked his head out, seeing only the heart stopping distance to the world beneath. The guards continued to push their way towards them.  
'_Jump now.'_  
With a burst of courage, Ashcroft grabbed him and threw them both out of the carriage, right as the train shot close to a station that it did not stop at. Winded, but safe the two of them lay on the ground, struggling for breath.  
'We need... To find cover.' James panted. 'I think I know someone who might have a clue as to what the Temple's secret is.'

'_One moment.' _A male voice crackled from the speakers as they stood outside the gates to a grand manor. '_I will see if she is available.'_  
The speakers crackled again, a female voice this time.  
'_James, to what do I owe the pleasure?'_  
'You should know, considering that you just sabotaged a train, Viola.'  
'Yes, Shh! Come inside...'  
The gates swung open, permitting them entry.

'Viola Fayreview.' James explained as they stood in a grand foyer, the floor a patterned mosaic. 'She's the woman you take to a computer convention. She's got San-Helios' operating system hacked, she could make this city dance or fall out of the sky. She drains the bank accounts of anyone she doesn't like.'

'So you'd better stay on my good side.' A slim woman in a black dress stood at the top of a flight of grand stairs, auburn hair done in a plait. 'What did you bring me?'  
Her emerald eyes lit up as James retrieved the golden pyramid from within his pocket.  
'Oh my... Now _that_ looks interesting.'

Her lounge was filled with computer screens, showing various displays from all over the city.  
'So... What secrets do you have for Viola, hmm...?' Moving a tablet screen aside, she took a seat and began to examine it under a magnifying glass. She turned it slowly, examining the thing from every angle, muttering under her breath as she did so.

'Fascinating... Intruiging...'

She turned to the tablet, calling up a list of dead languages.

'Viola?' James asked finally.

'Hmm?' She looked up from her work.  
'Care to share?'

'Yes, yes... Of course. Uh, this thing has writing on it that's _old. _Incredibly old...' She looked to it, like it scared her. '_Impossibly old.'_  
'It's from the surface?' James turned to watch Ashcroft as he looked over a bunch of various ornaments and statuettes in a case, worrying if they would suffer the same fate.  
'I don't know. It's not from San-Helios. But...' She swivelled her chair to look at them. 'This writing is more than... _millions of _years old, but this thing looks brand new. I don't even think it's from this world at all.'

'How can it not be-?'

'I recognise this...'  
James abruptly realised what Ashcroft was saying, his sapphire eyes looking over a small statuette of a six armed figure, seated and deep in meditation.  
'I bought that on the black market, apparently it's from the surface, the people there call him...' She clicked her tongue, searching. '_Shiva.'_  
Ashcroft simply looked at the statue. 'Shiva...'

'Yes, apparently it meant... "Great Destoryer", or "Righteous Wrath".' Viola shrugged. 'But the people on the surface are primitive rejects, what do they know about art?'

'_Ms Viola, I require your attention.'_ The butler's voice crackled from the tablet.  
Viola groaned in annoyance. 'Sometimes, I wonder who is serving who...'  
'Are you OK, Mr Ashcroft...?'  
Allen stepped back until he all but fell onto the plush blue sofa.  
'Just... A headache.' he looked up, a small smile on his face.

Viola turned to them both with a scowl, her face gritted in rage, she tapped the screen, every display in the room changed to show James and Allen's faces, "WANTED" written underneath.  
'Y-you have not been honest with me! You are wanted for _four murders!'_  
James felt his blood run cold. 'W-what? Murders?! I've killed no-one!'

An alarm went off within the manor. Viola changed the display again to show the City Guard tearing the gates down. With a beep the wanted list updated to show Viola's face as well.  
'Now do you think it was me?!' James demanded.  
'It's just a misunderstanding...' She moved to a window, flinging it open and calling out into her gardens. 'Look, you lot, I am an innocent citizen of San-Helios and you-!' She ducked, crying out as a bullet cracked her window. 'O-Okay! Everybody out the back door!'  
She stopped in the doorway, spinning on her heels and dodging bullets before finally reaching her desk, snatching a tablet screen and the gold pyramid, she hurriedly followed the others out, the damn butler could fend for himself...

_'Warning: Citizens James Arvoy, Viola Fayreview, and Allen Ashcroft have contracted a viral plauge from the surface, all contact with them will be lethal.'_ The announcement was broadcast citywide, citizens broke into a panic, throwing themselves aside in an effort to avoid the three of them as they hurtled down the streets and walkways.  
'Aerodynamics centre!' Viola stated, skidding on her heels to a stop.  
'This is no time for test flights!' James stated.

'You know, I think it is...' Ashcroft hurriedly ushered them both inside. 'Get the suits on.'  
The aerodynamics centre usually offered citizens the chance to fly around outside the city, but a powerful magnetic field prevented them from straying too far or plummeting to the world below.

'But if we just out in those they'll just call us back!' James realised, pulling a suit on.

'Not if I jam it...' Viola set out tapping on her tablet. 'Don't give me damn lockout codes!'  
Ashcroft, annoyed with delays, finally smashed the centre's control panel with a chair.  
'Or... You could just do that. Yep. That worked.'

'Jump.'  
'Viola, look, I changed my mind. I don't wanna go down there-'  
'_Jump, James!'_  
All three leapt off of the egde of the city, just as the guard managed to break in. After freefalling for the longest time, they finally spread their arm and legs apart, the webbing within the suits opened and they took to flying around on the warm evening air, the landing was hard, but the soft grass beneath softened the fall, not enough to stop them crashing, tumbling, and finally passing out.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4: The Surface. _

On San-Helios, the people had been all but locked up, they could look on the world below, but could never travel there. In the schools slideshows and books were used to instill the fear of the world below in children, a fear that carried to adulthood; why leave San-Helios? Everything you could ever want or need was there. Yet, there were whispers, people vanishing in the night, the jobless, the homeless, those who had disrupted the peace of society. All gone come the dawn.

James turned on the cold stone, for a moment thinking himself lying on the streets. But streets were not dark, streets did not smell of flowers and incense, streets did not have candles lighting their way, the streets were not silent at night. Recognizing where he was, he sat up abrutply, he could feel something watching him from the darkness... Looking around he grabbed a candle stand that was not lit and held it before him.  
'Do not be afraid...' The voice was soft, feminine. A young woman emerged from the dark, lit up by candles. Her dress was... unusual, a cobbled together attire; a black leotard hidden mostly beneath a dyed blue sari, belt fastered around her waist attatched with feathers, and sandals. Around her neck was a chain of white and orange flowers. She didn't seem feral... But James didn't lower his guard just yet.  
She raised her hands in a gesture of surrender, her skin tattooed with beautiful spirals and flowers.

'I mean you no harm. I am Parvati. You came from... The nest in the sky, correct?'

'I'm James Arvoy, analytical psychologist...'

She blinked, confused.

'Where are my friends?'  
'They are elsewhere, recovering.'

In the flickering candelight he could make out Parvati's dark purple braided hair and soft eyes of a smiliar colour. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, James could make out a larger statue of the one Viola had in her manor.

'Tell me, Ms Parvati, who is that?'

She seemed mildly surprised. 'That is Shiva, Lord of the Dance, Destoryer of Ignorance.'

'Feel like I've seen him before.'  
'He touches us all in different ways.'

Within San-Helios' city hall, Mayor Launa Sharpe sat behind her desk, amber eyes calmly looking over the three papers on her desk; the three theives who had stolen from the temple and fled to the world below. She had branded them traitors and given the Guard full authorization to shoot them on sight, they deserved nothing better. Not with what was being built here.

The pill still tasted bitter, no matter how many times he took them.  
'Why do you take those...?' Parvati had found him sitting outside, on the steps of a ruined city built into the side of a mountain.  
'I need them.' He looked over. 'I would not have been able to live in polite society without them.'  
He looked the pot over, nearly empty.  
'Yaksha.'  
'What?' James looked up, a flicker had stirred within, but it sounded wrong.  
'Yaksha, warrior spirits who have two personalities. You look in a mirror and you see a crack running down the middle.'  
'Clever you.' He muttered, head bowed. 'You wouldn't like my other self, he's a cruel charmer, he'll draw you close just to break your heart.'

'Shiva again..?' Allen stood in another part of the town, a large statue in the town square, it depicted a familliar six armed figure, five held in a fighting stance with weapons, tridents, swords and the like. The upper left hand held an orb protectively, the world. From it's back was a circular pattern of energy and sacred flames in the form of strange wings.  
'It is Shiva Mahesvara, the Great Lord.' One of the citizens, dressed simillarly to Parvati informed them, looking upon the statue with boundless love and adoration. 'Destroyer of worlds, and the one who brings rebirth. We must burn an overgrown forest so that new life may spring from the ashes.'

'What are you hiding from me...?' Viola sat on a stool in a quieter building of the town, gently tapping the golden pyramid with warm tweezers. 'You're not just an altar piece, what are you really-?' Her breath hitched as the flat edge of one tweezer slipped through a thin line in the side. 'Oh.' Sliding the blade up, it stopped just before reaching the cap at the top. Putting the tweezers aside she, with gentle fingers, slowly turned the cap until it clicked into place, symbols matching up. It split open into three segments. Pushing all three down until they laid flat, it was like looking at a three petaled flower, the centre occupied by a dark blue orb, cloudly light swirling about within.  
'Simply fascinating.'

'So, Viola, what've you found?'  
'James, this would be a lot easier if I had access to my data.' Viola made notes on spare sheets of paper with a pen she had borrowed. 'These writings speak of a time many millenia ago. Old energies that powered vast machinery. Something about a "_War of Creation" _and the destroyer of worlds.' She stopped, staring at a symbol. 'This one either means "Priestess", or "Sacrifice", the defining mark is a bit worn. This one makes no sense at all.' She ran a finger along a symbol that folded across the line of one segement's inside. 'I think this thing's still hiding things from me.'  
'Have you seen Ashcroft?'  
'He was wandering about near that Mahaesvara statue.' She didn't even look up. 'James?'  
'Hmm?'  
'Is he... alright? He's not gonna hurt us?'  
'I doubt it. Something tells me...' A flicker of a half-smile crossed his face for a second. 'He's just as confused as we are.'

'Oh? I've cracked you now!' Further investigation of the orb revealed that it was mounted on a small mechanism that could be turned, tiny gears whirred within and the insides of the segements split open to reveal another layer of symbols. 'Aha... _Now_ you make sense.'  
She set a quick pace, scribbling out as she translated, stopping only to make reference to previous notes. Finally, she looked on what she had translated, surprised;

_"Daughter's tears ignite ancient wrath, light and dark torn asunder, energy's flow curbed forever. Time over time this warrior rises, through ranks of humans, hybrid, and divine. Forgotten to all but those whom dwell in earthen cities. Through ages unaccounted, the horror of gold escapes into a world that glimmers with light, the nest of metal and glass tumbles down to earth's cold hands." _

If she had translated this correctly... This thing told the downfall of San-Helios. How could San-Helios fall from the sky-? That said, how did San-Helios stay _up _in the sky...? Viola realised that she'd never bothered to ask. It was rather strange, to look up and see it there in the sky, a large structure of white and blues. Her home...

'James, I thought perhaps you might like some tea...' Parvati returned with a tray in her arms bearing a teapot and a few cups.  
'... Mmm... No, don't like that at all...'  
She moved aside in time to avoid a feather braided shawl that was thrown uncaringly in her direction.  
'Masks... No masks?!' He seemed unaware of her presence, instead rifiling through a chest of costumes used for ceremonies. More clothes discarded. 'Rudimentery... Too dull! Too bright! _Underwear!_'  
There was an empty plastic pot on the ground, Parvati noticed it when she nearly trod on it.  
'A scarf?! _A scarf... _Hmm, it's white and soft and... Mm, I like it... Yes, this too!'  
His black, neon blue piped jacket was throw in the same direction as the shawl. He finally stood up, dressed in his usual black jeans, trainers, and sky blue shirt, but now he wore a dark black hooded jacket and a white scarf wrapped around his neck and lower face, leaving only his eyes shown.

'James?' Parvati had to ask.  
'Unavailable.' He replied, staring at her.  
'Who are you then...?'  
'I was drugged and supressed- told to go and sit in a corner and be quiet- since a child... I have no name.'

'No name.' She decided that simply wouldn't do. 'Then... Then I shall name you!'

'Now this I've got to hear...' There was a wicked edge to those words. 'Try and find one that will adequately suit me...'  
'Your other self is indeed arrogant, Yaksha.'  
'Hmph.' He turned away. 'If you have no words for me, be gone.'

'... I name you.'  
He turned back, arms folded and the sparkle in his eyes seeming to suggest "_Go on then." _  
'I name you... I name you,Yaksha... _Yasha!_ I name you, Yasha!'  
He stared at her. 'Ya...sha...? I like it. Feels... nostalgic.'

Parvati was confused. 'How is it nostalgic?'

'...? No? Wrong word. Meh, I will think of another.' He turned to the statue of Shiva and snickered. 'What do you think of him...?'

'He is loving, patient, mighty, and... utterly terrifying.' Parvati answered.  
He snickered again. 'Sounds about right.'

'What's going on now...?' Viola held the reformed pyramid and a stack of bound notes under one arm, she had met the other two out in the town square, the place had suddenly gone crazy as the sun had started to set, people ran back and forth, putting away market stalls, barricading windows and doors before hiding inside their homes, doors firmly locked and bolted.

'Hurry! Get inside!' Parvati held her own door open for them. '_Run_! They're coming!'  
The three hurried inside, Viola first, followed by James- now back in his previous mindset, scarf and hood down around his neck- and finally Allen. Time slowed as their eyes met for a sparse second, then Parvati breathed and time whirred back to normal, contact broken. Why did looking upon him stir such a flutter in her heart?

The roar of engines grew louder, building from over the horizon. A gang approached, racing across the moonlit fields were bikers with tires roaring with blue flames on bikes that hovered just above the ground. Loud and raucus they raced around the town, tossing bottles of alcohol, empty food packets and who knew what else over the town square.  
'_Shiva's wrath upon them...'_ Parvati hissed through her teeth, watching them through a blind. Something stirred within Ashcroft upon seeing Parvati distraught and the next thing anyone realised, he had thrown open the door and was marching outside.  
'Ashcroft, where are you going?!' James demanded. 'You're going to get killed!'  
_Should be fun to watch..._  
That other voice in his head was annoying. 'Watching my patient die?'  
_No. Watching that gang get their asses handed to themselves..._

Parvati jumped as a body slammed against the wall outside, one of the bikers, collapsed on the floor with several broken bones. They watched through the window as the pale blond decimated the attacking gang. They piled on top of him, beating him down with energy formed batons.  
'Those... Resemble velocycles, don't they?' Viola had to ask, looking over the bikes the gang had arrived on. 'But the technology, it's like they've canabalised it. How can such a primitive people have stuff like that?'  
'Maybe they weren't always that primitive... Parvati.' He turned to her as she watched the blond beat the one conscious gang member to near death with his own baton.

'Where do these gang members come from?'  
'From... Over the hill there. There is a tower, it's full of really advanced stuff.'

Ashcroft finally returned once they were all dealt with.  
'They won't be troubling you any more, Parvati.'

'Thanks...' She blushed so lightly.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5: Data Miner_

Beyond the stretch of the horizon and rolling fields of lush, green grass, the velocycles shot just above the tallest blades, covering the distance in a far shorter time than it would take to walk.  
'You realise that this is where the gang comes from?!' Parvati called out in fright over the wind as she clung to Ashcroft as he sped onwards.

'So, if we fight, we fight.' he replied.

The structure rose up before them, it could once have pierced the heavens above, but it appeared to have collapsed about half way up, it looked old, incredibly old. Several other velocycles were parked up outside, clearly the gang was in residence.  
Though ancient, it seemed that many of the tower's systems still functioned; lighting, air conditioning, and all of the computers inside.  
'Look at all this stuff!' Viola appeared to only be lacking drooling in her admiration. 'It's antique! I-I could get a fortune scrapping this stuff!'  
James, however, stayed in the foyer, scrutinizing the message imprinted centuries ago on the archway above. "_Bonds of belief is the True Power."_

Viola had all but dragged them into the nearest chamber that still had a fully functioning computer, brushing cables and circuit boards from the desk, and stirring up centuries of dust, she located the keyboard and began to search.

'This stuff is incredible... It's got the history of this world dating back thousands of years!'  
'Shh!' Parvati hissed, looking around nervously. They were in the middle of the enemies nest...  
' "_The Belief Effect?"_' Curious, Viola clicked on the file.  
'_The Belief Effect was first called into question in 6200 AD, a theory suggesting that mass human thought could have a tangible effect on the world around it. A test group was set up in 6250, in which a rumour was seeded amidst a colony of an impending meteor. Despite all analysis indicating otherwise, within three weeks, the colony was incinerated beneath a sudden meteor shower. No survivors."' _A cool female voice announced from the computer.  
'Mass belief affecting reality...?' Parvati wondered.  
'_"With The Belief Effect becoming a proven scientific construct, humanity set out ideas of how it could be used to better society. The South Eastern quadrant became affected by a sudden onslaught of paranoia, and the rumours that spread within the city soon grew out of control. The city was purged of lifeforms and the Belief Effect was conisdered too dangerous to continue pursuing. Circa 6623 AD."'_

'We should leave, Viola...' Parvati tugged softly against her sleeve as the other woman continued searching the records.  
'I... I can't, not yet. This place is incredible.'  
'Hey!' Clearly a gang member had spotted them, baton drawn and charging to attack. There was a small glint in James' eyes as he span, sweeping the man's legs out from under him. Parvati had seen that glint before when she had been talking to the Yaksha's other self...  
'Yasha?'

'Hello...?' He glanced over his shoulder to look at her, one boot resting on the man's chest, ensuring he didn't move.  
'Right...'

Ashcroft looked over Viola's shoulders as she scanned through the files.  
'What happened to the people?'  
'Apparently the purging didn't work, the other colonies got word of them, the fear spread new rumours and it all spiralled into an apocalyptic state and eventually...' She froze, cursor hanging over a file marked "_San-Helios Project"_. 'What...?'  
_'The San-Helios Project was begun 7000 AD under the direction of EarthGov. The purpose of the project was to create an artificial, skyborne colony that would be secluded from the rest of the world. The San-Helios project will be used to scan the skies and grounds of Earth in search of any remenants of the ancient history. Upon location of such, the Belief Effect would be seeded amidst the San-Helios colony, to create a gate between the two eras and bring the technology of the ancient past into the current age."' _  
Viola searched for another file.  
_'" Error: Ancient History file is classified."'_

'Damnit. Give me a second and I'll crack it.'  
An alarm went off throughout the tower as her hacking attempt ran straight into a firewall.

'Just keep them off me and I can get the data I need!'  
Parvati, Ashcroft, and Yahsa fought off what must've been every gang member in the tower before Viola finally managed to get the file she needed.  
'I'm impressed!' Ashcroft watched as Parvati finished another off with a backhand to the face.

'I'm in!' Viola almost leapt out of her chair in joy.  
'_"The following information are data scraps that have been gathered from existing folklore and adjusted to meet remenants of ancient technology. In ancient times, the Earth was plauged by a horde of monstorous creatures. Information reports suggest a high probabilty that ancient humanity possesed technology far surpassing that of current creations. This technology was powered by an unknown energy source, such a source does not exist in the current era."'_  
'How... Can they have had technology better than ours?'  
'Maybe they had something we didn't back then.' Viola shrugged to Ashcroft's question, a spark of realization hitting her, she withdrew the pyramid from her pocket. 'Ah... I bet you're all tied in with this aren't you?'  
The pyramid glinted sinisterly in the light.

Meanwhile, On San-Helios, the gears of a long term plan began to turn just that much faster.  
'Hello, citizens of San-Helios.' The face of Mayor Sharpe appeared on every screen, snow white hair pulled in a bun. 'I bring you word of a most wonderful discovery! It appears that a distortion has appeared above the city, from this hole in time fall bounties most wonderful! Bounties of power, wealth and knowledge beyond that of any that we have known before! Spread the word my people, Anatoa be praised!'  
The city began to chatter eagerly amongst itself, citizens spreading the rumour like wildfire. Questions being asked as to just what these bounties truly were. The city was soon abuzz with energy...


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6: The Source_

_He's lucky..._

'How so...?' James knew it was a classic sign of insanity, talking to oneself. But it became very difficult when one's other self wouldn't shut up!  
_ Rumours over centuries have turned him into a God. I am turned into a wood fairy..._  
'A Yaksha is a warrior that lurks in trees...'  
_Ugh... I keep getting... Weird flashbacks. Memories that aren't mine._  
'I'm just getting headaches here. Wish I had my medication.'  
_No. I will not be supressed again._

'We're the exact image of a Yaksha, I the gentle side, you the fierce warrior, don't you find that disturbing?'  
_... I do. Tell me, do you believe that the Belief Effect is behind this?_  
'But why target us specifically?'  
_I need to concentrate... That fog in our head is starting to clear..._

'This thing appears to channel the power of beliefs somehow...' Viola had decided that the gem within the pyramid certainly seemed not to be native to this world, or even from this time period at all...  
'Beyond that, I have no idea what purpose it might hold.'  
They sat on the roof of one of the buildings, staring up at the skies above.  
Parvati didn't really seem that interested.  
'Sometimes. I like to come up here, look up at the skies and just think. I could spend hours up here, thinking.'  
The creak of a ladder next to them as someone climbed up, Ashcroft as next to Parvati, staring up at the stars too.  
After a few moments, Viola cleared her throat softly before standing up and making herself scarce.  
The silence was something neither broke for the longest time. They simply stared up at the skies, after several deep breath, Ashcroft spoke.

'I... Feel like I know you.'

'There is a lot of that going around recently.' Parvati replied, still staring skywards.  
'What is it about you that makes my heart yearn all the more...?'  
'If I must confess... I would be lying if I said the same was not true to me...'  
'But how can we know each other? We were born to live different lives, seperated by earth and sky. It's just so...' He curled his hands into fists. 'So _frustrating.'_  
His annoyance broke as her hand touched his own, a cool peace spreading through once again.  
'We'll find the answer. If we keep searching, maybe the answer will come to us?'  
'Yes.'

Why did he feel the need to so dearly protect her...?

'So, though this is only a theory, I believe that this thing is the cause of the Belief Effect.'  
_How can something so small have that much power...?_  
'How does it do it?'  
Viola shook her head at Jame's question. 'I said it was just a _theory_, I don't have any real proof or idea of how it works, or even how to activate it.'  
_She wants to activate it? But with the beliefs of the people here-_  
'Do you really want a "Lord of Destruction" trampling the town into a paste?'

'She said Shiva was loving.' Viola turned it over in her hands, checking out.  
'Yes, and she also said that Shiva was a God that liked to smash things up!'  
James turned away, shaking his head. He looked suddenly back over his shoulder, scarf pulled around his lower face once again.  
'So, tell me. How do you explain this then?'

She looked up at him. 'Oh, so I'm talking to Yasha now? I'm Viola, nice to meet you.'  
'We are one and the same. We share the memories. How do you explain that these switches have been happening randomly since we arrived here with this thing?'  
Viola turned her gaze back to the orb in the centre. 'These people believe in the Yaksha, don't they?'  
'Is that your answer...?' He folded his arms, one eyebrow arched.

'Look, I'm working with theories here. From what I understand, San-Helios is a gineua pig farm designed to warp our minds into opening a gate to the ancient past. But I think they're missing something.'

Sharpe looked up at the skies, why was this not working? The door to the past remained shut. But all the people were gossiping about it, positively buzzing about what wonders could possibly occur. The door needed to open soon or the rumours would turn sour and twisted! She took to searching the Temple, looking to see why this was not happening-

The altar. Empty.  
She gave out a scream of fury and tore back to her office.

'_Attention all Homeguard troops, report at once to shift commanders, dispatch the Jetcrafts; you are going to hunt down and eradicate the surface town below. In Anatoa's name, the thieves shall be punished!'_

'I don't think they can open the gate without _this.'_  
'Well, can't you...' He pulled the scarf back around his neck. 'Can't you turn it off?! These changes are getting annoying!'  
'Ah, welcome back, James... But I think it is off. Something else must be causing the changes.'  
'Probably my psychotic behaviour.' He gave a bitter laugh at that. 'Years of feuding with my neighbour have finally upset the other residents far too much. Karma, that's what it is.'

'From what I found in that tower... There was once a great city here, vast and mighty it stretched into the horizon with towering spires and buildings.' Viola cast a hand out, gesturing into the distance beyond.  
James followed her gaze. 'What happened to it...?'

'The rumours grew out of control, the populace panicked... Beyond that, I don't know what destoyed it. They could've created any number of insane causes... and they would've all come true.' She shuddered visibly. 'It's terrifying isn't it? That we humans would imagine our own extinction.'  
'We all will, once in our life, consider death as an escape...' James replied, trying to picture the vast civilization that once stood here. He turned his gaze back to the inhabited ruins, now only a small survivng sliver. 'I wonder how Parvati and her people survived.'  
'They have a strong faith in Shiva.'  
'Yes, but they didn't have that thing. So it couldn't come true.' James pointed out.  
'Maybe. But...' She finally spilt it. 'I think it's nice, to believe that there's some kind of higher power out there, watching over you.'  
_Look up._  
James' vision jolted skywards, the energy trails from the blue flames of a ships engine just caught in his peripheral vision. 'Uh-oh...'  
'Trouble..' Viola agreed, looking up at the three ships that hovered above the town, weapons ready to fire.

Parvati felt safe as he hugged her warmly. His eyes glaring up at the ships with such ferocity. If the people of the sky nest had sent more down to find them...  
Her thoughts were broken when a bolt of energy fired from one of the ships and blasted a home into splinters and flames.  
She took it that they _weren't_ here to find them.

'_Attention, surface savages.' _A male voice boomed from one of the ships. '_Surrender the prisoners to us immediatly. Fail to do so and we shall decimate your village!' _


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7: The Warpath Home. _

Parvati did not know what to make that she was now being held captive and taken up to the very city she had spent her entire life looking up at. The large robe was uncomfortable, the hood forced her to bow her head and the sleeves were magnitised tight enough at the cuffs to force her hands together. The others, those she had come to trust in the short time together also wore simillar robes, an armed guard stood at the doorway at one end of the ships' chamber, watching over them with a weapon loaded and ready to fire at the slightest hint of trouble.

Viola felt her heart in her throat as the ship docked with a soft thump. After the dim light of their captivity, the sun was suddenly blinding. A roar of an angry mob greeted them, held back by members of the Homeguard; San-Helios' inner guard for the richer members of society.

Sick hisses of disgust came from them as Parvati was marched out before them.  
'We don't want her here!'  
'Filth!'

'Cast the savage back down to the surface!'  
A reporter for the San-Helios news stood before her camera, a microphone in hand. '... Now I've been told that Mayor Sharpe will soon arrive on scene to charge the prisoners, after which they will be taken on to City Hall, where the Homeguard will hold a public execution by firing squad.'

Parvati shed a tear, they were going kill them! Now who were the monsters?!  
'Purge the savage!'  
'Kill them all!'

'Have them all shot!'  
'_SHUT UP!'_ The booming roar of Ashcroft's voice settled a shocked silence over the crowds. In a fury, he struggled against the magnets binding his hands together, the smallest gap appeared as they were pulled apart barely a few inches.

A baton struck the pressure point on his neck and he slumped to the floor, unconscious. Mayor Sharpe stood before them in a white and blue buttoned up coat, her white hair pulled into a ponytail, she examined the end of her baton with faint interest.

'It appears that the poor man has lost his mind.'

Parvati sobbed softly, looking down on the unconscious figure.  
His hand twitched, hearing it from the depths of his psyche.  
'This...The Nexus Key belongs to the Temple.' Sharpe took the golden pyramid from Viola, the other woman unable to do anything about it.

'Don't do this!' Viola struggled against her own bindings, though nowhere near as effective as Ashcroft's. 'I've seen the records of what you plan to do from the ruins of a computer on the surface! Opening that door will only bring disaster!'  
Sharpe did not even appear to hear her, she merely looked to the nearest member of the Homeguard. 'Take them away and shoot them.'

The moment the Homeguard pulled Ashcroft from the floor, his eyes snapped open, aflame with fury, the magnets were wrenched apart, his free hands grabbed the two nearest and slammed them together with almost inhuman strength. They crumpled from the concussive blows. Chest heaving, he looked around like a man possessed, seeking out his next target.

'Get them!' The Homeguard commander bellowed as they took off down an alley.  
'C'mon...' Parvati pulled the still enraged Ashcroft off after them.

Inside the Temple, Sharpe returned the Nexus Key to it's proper pedestal, it unfolded to reveal the gem within. She could not stop the smile from forming on her face. 'At last... The work of my ancestors shall be fufilled.' She touched the gem, pushing it in, the cloudy colours within became bright.

'The doors to the past open!'

The skies above changed as darkness swept across the world beneath, twisted mockeries of animals bled from the ground and swarmed towards Parvati's home town, the ones that could fly took to the sky and flew towards San-Helios. Viola looked up as the skies were torn open, revealing a veritable armada of strange spaceships floating just out of the atmosphere, her voice was a broken whisper.

'What has she done...?'

'_Spacetime stability at risk.'_  
The San-Heilos computer analyzed the situation, cycling through a list of options in an attempt to quell the spreading damage. In the sky, ships of an unknown origin surrounded the city, circling them like predators aroung their prey. Figures dived from aboard the skips, falling down to battle the twisted creatures and invade the city.  
'_Intruder alert. All sectors of San-Helios are on high alert.'_

'W-what are those things?!'  
People ran in fear at the creatures that descended upon San-Helios.  
Launa Sharpe looked at the chaos overtaking the city, all screens and advertisements now showing that the city was under a level Omega alert.  
'No... No, this is wrong! This isn't how it's supposed to be!'  
She had opened the gate, now here came the flood.

A figure stood atop one of the buildings, scanning the new structure that had appeared in the sky, he looked down on it through a golden mask. Meanwhile, San-Helios' computer had located the source of the out of control rumours and issued a new directive to the security system.  
'_Exterminate San-Helios citizenry.'_ The command was overriden by Mayor Sharpe.  
'_Attention all Homeguard, this is Mayor Sharpe! Destroy the intruders! Protect the city!'_

'_Lockdown. Repeat: Lockdown.'_  
Barriers of energy began to segment off the city. A large group of people were trapped in the streets, nearly at city hall, James was amongst them, they beat against the barriers in desperation. Roof mounted turrets reconfigured their commands and began to open fire on them. Balls of dark blue fire blasted each one into scrap, an unknown power sparing their lives. James looked around as to why the turrets had stopped, he caught sight of a blur rushing across the rooftops, a trail of blue flames following behind. James' knees buckled and he collapsed, leaning against the barricade, despite the low probability it would set his hair aflame.  
'That's...'  
_... My head..._  
'...It's killing me...' A sudden rush of adrenaline made him tear the cuffs apart.  
_... Can't see through the fog!_  
He slumped onto the floor, eyes wide as he clutched as his head, old memories overflowing into his consciousness.  
'...I've... gotta think straight!'

A Homeguard had been slain by a lone Gohma, shaped like a twisted canine. The Homeguard's weapon lay just within a seconds reach of James, he snatched it up; a twin bladed lance, formed from plasma energy, the ends curved into wicked blades. This would do. The Gohma was charred into ashes as the lance cut through it with ease, spinning on his heels, he smashed straight through the energy barrier.  
'_System malfunction. Deactivating barricade.'_  
He stood with his hood and scarf pulled up, the lance resting by his side, brown eyes looked up at city hall.  
'I remember now...'

Mayor Sharpe sat in her office as the city continued to go to hell. It had not gone to plan. Brushing her white ponytail back over her shoulder, she looked down at the old document before her. "_PROJECT GUILLOTINE". _It was the final failsafe.  
'_Incoming signal.'_  
The city was falling apart, who could be contacting her?! She accepted it.

For a moment, Launa felt that she was looking into a mirror. No... This one looked different.  
'Why, hello!' The woman on screen smiled at her. 'I must say it's a pleasure to see the lengths of devotion some people will go to!'  
'D-devotion?! I brought you to my era to learn about your technology!'  
'Why would we _ever_ share a power you cannot possibly use? No.' Olga leant forwards, smirking. 'With the opening you have given us, we will escape into this era, the Gohma will remain in the ancient past, and we will rebuild from here.'  
Sharpe shook her head. 'If you refuse to co-operate... So be it.' Launa terminated the connection before opening the folder, her tears splashed onto the paper as she read it. 'Mercy... No...'

Fists pounded against the barricade, over and over again until the knuckles began to bleed.

'Yes, keep punching, Ashcroft. That seems to work.' Viola spoke only sarcasm, trying to work a computer screen with her hands bound together.  
'Please, you will only hurt yourself.' Parvati's soft, cool touch on his arms soothed the burning rage within him.  
'Ah, here comes the Yaksha.' Viola noted, a lance slashed through power node maintaining the barricade.  
'_Identification error. Identification error.'_  
The barricade deactivated and Viola jumped in the air. 'Nice one! Now let's go and get the Nexus Key back and put a stop to this!'

'Ooo! Internet cafe!' Viola skidded to a stop, turning to hurry back into the shop.  
'We'll keep going!' Ashcroft called back as he and Parvati hurried on.

'Need you here, James! You can use your hands!' Viola called him inside. Every computer displayed the citywide alert. 'Ok, I need you to hack this for me. Switch off the magnets in these things.'

'_My dear friends.' _The screens changed to show Sharpe, teary-eyed. '_In this time of confusion and despair, I bring you graver news still-'_  
The power fluxated across the city.

For the past few minutes, Ashcroft had been hitting the generator's core with whatever he could find to throw. By his own logic, if he could get the city to land, then it would be out of range of the skies, and the rumour should dissipate... If it worked like that. Something hit the core and the power fluxated.  
'_... Graver news still- Listen to me you meddling fools! Damaging the core will be disastorous! if we lose power then the supporting systems fail! The pull of gravity will bring us crashing to earth! Stop, do you hear me?!' _ Sharpe sounded infuriated and frightened. Ashcroft simply searched for more things to throw.

Sharpe tried to regain her composure, beads of sweat trickling down her neck.  
'_... The grave news is... Is regarding Anatoa... We have been lied to! Anatoa is not a Goddess! She... She is a monster! A monster from the dawns of time and edge of the universe! A monster come to destroy us all!' _she shed a few more tears. '_She is coming... We are all doomed...'_

To the panicked populace, this was nothing more than fuel to their fire.  
'Damnit! Somehow, I don't think telling everyone "It's going to be alright" is going to work!' Viola watched the data scroll across the screens, instructing the man as he worked. 'We're all gonna die if that comes true!'  
The skies darkened into night as a cold, dead gale blew through the city.  
'Ok, that happened faster than I expected...'  
'So, how do we stop this?' With a final click, James finished his work and the cuffs of Viola's and he assumed Parvati's robes snapped open. She quickly discarded it and set about working.  
'No idea! We'd have to find an equally powerful belief to counteract it.'  
James thought about it for a while before a thought clicked. 'Viola...'  
Both looked to each other and spoke as one.  
'_Shiva!'_


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8: The Golden Horror_

_'Systems failing: 75%.'_  
San-Helios trembled as one of the supporting systems that kept it in the air shut down. Viola and James burst into the Temple, the preists within turned towards them, snarls of rage escaping rather then questions, inhuman sounds escaped from beneath the hoods. The golden robes were torn apart; revealing claws, leathery wings and skin, tentacles, and hundreds of burning eyes turning to look at them.  
'Oookay...' She patted James on the back. 'All yours. I'll stand over here and think about how this is going to give me nightmares.'

Fighting their way through, Viola immediatly headed to the Nexus Key.  
'Ouch!' She pulled her hand back as she lay touch on it. 'It's too hot!'  
Wrapping his hands in his scarf, James closed the Key and lifted it from the pedestal.  
'Ow-ow-ow-ow! Hohot! What-do-we-do-with-it?!'  
'We have to get it down to the town.'  
'Youch!' Hopping from foot to foot, James threw it out of the nearest window. 'Oops.'  
'What did you just-!? Wait... That might actually work!'  
'_Systems failing; 50%'_

The Nexus Key tumbled through the air as it hurtled towards the earth below. It crashed off of a roof and clattered to in the battle torn town square, left forgotten by the people battling against the Gohma. High above in San-Helios, Viola stared down.

'C'mon.. Work already!'

She looked to the skies, something sinister stirred in the dark...

In the town below, the Key was kicked around by human and Gohma alike in the chaos. It tumbled and rolled before finally stopping next to the Mahesvara statue, a member of the town was sent flying, he tumbled and rolled to a stop next to it. Barely alive, he crawled closer to the statue.

'Shiva... Guard us... Help... Us...'

'Ugh, it's not working!'  
Viola's annoyance was silenced as something sparkled below, the armada of ships faded and the earth below returned to it's calm state.  
'_Systems failing: 25%. Impact imminent.'_  
Ashcroft emerged back into the open air, staring up at the dark skies as the very air around him seemed to take on a golden tint.

Sharpe had left her office, looking over the Temple as to why the door to the past had closed. Charred bodies of unholy creatures littered the floor, the impossibility of their existence here shook her sanity. She questioned her own mental health as the statue of Anatoa came alive, hands and tentacles reaching out to grab her. She fought them as they snared her wrists and ankles, pulling her closer. A hand closed around her throat, causing her to vomit golden liquid uncontrollably. A dark fear settled in her heart as she struggled, before finally surrendering to the unrelenting flow of gold.

The skies above turned a tarnished yellow, a shockwave rocketing across the globe, a sheer crushing force knocked everyone to the floor, the breath knocked from them. Groaning, Viola picked herself from the ground, only for another shockwave to knock her back down and pin her to the floor with a unrelenting, crushing force. Her thoughts only ran along one line.  
This was it... The end. She was going to die.

Parvati looked over, Ashcroft struggled still, trying to resist the crushing force of the approaching cosmic horror. The sheer effort clear on his face, every inch an event.

Why...? Why get up? What was the point? He would only get hurt.

She began to sob pitifully at the thought, the pained cries of others across the globe joining her. Slowly, she surrendered to the blackness settling in her vision.

Still fueled only by an unfailing resolve, Ashcroft struggled. he fought with every ounce of strength he could muster. Even the thick air around him tried to force him back down.  
_It's futile! Stop struggling!_ _This is the end! _  
His arms began to buckle.  
_No more life! No more chaos! No more change!_ _My powers shall blanket all! _  
He looked over to Parvati, her eyes were shut and her breathing was rapid, short gasps of terror. Tears running from her eyes.  
_It is the true peace of the dead! Surrender!  
_'NEVER!' With a monumental effort he staggered to his feet, the pressure broken.

'How... Can he stand up...?' James looked up blearily, verging on unconsciousness, much like Viola next to him. 'Are you...?'  
_Can... he be...?_  
His consciousness faded.  
The pale blond's body felt light, crackling and overflowing with a new power. He glanced upward at the horror, so close now. With a small grunt, he vaulted over the egde of San-Helios and went into a free fall, body beginning to glow with a fiery white light.

Had anyone been conscious to see it, they would've witnessed a streak of fire shooting up to the skies and space beyond. The cosmic horror of Anatoa was forced back by a shockwave of fire and light. Reeling from the shock, the horror struck back, an amorphous mass of liquid gold, tentacles erupted from it's surface, rushing fowards to pierce through the earth and end it's miserable existence! An eldritch shriek bubbled across it's surface as the tentacles were seized by a colossal fist. It was dragged through the space, held to eye level of a cosmic, six armed figure, large enough to hold the earth in one hand and crush it in a fist. Long white hair flowed in the void, eyes of fire stared at it with disgust, a halo of sacred fire defied logic as it burned with a fury on their back. Eyes suddenly softened with worry, looking back over a hulking shoulder to stare at the world.

In San-Helios, a loud warning siren went out across the city, but with the populace of the world unconscious, none were able to react.

'_Systems failing._'  
With one final splutter, the power wound down.

'_Systems failed. Survival estimate projection: 0%.'_

Slowly, with metal creaking, the city began to fall from the sky, picking up speed into what would be a catastrophic explosion, capable of easily decimating the nearby town in the resulting firestorm. From all corners of the world, vicious winds whipped up, wrapping the city in a cocoon of air and cushioning it's fall. What would have been a devastation, was now reduced to a loud thump and a few tremors.

'Ugh...' Parvati recovered first, breathing in the fresh air, she looked around at the city, people still slumped unconscious around her, but some were starting to stirr. They were alive... By what miracle had they survived-?

She looked up at the skies and her heart jumped for joy.  
'My Lord... You are magnificent...'

'Great job, Asura...' James leant against a wall, watching the cosmic horror squirm in the God's grasp.  
_When this is all over, you understand what will happen, don't you?'  
_'When it's over... We'll forget, won't we?'  
_Yes... The rumours and beliefs will return to rumours and beliefs... The timeline will rectify itself._  
'That's good, right?'  
_Right..._ _Until then, let us watch a mortal ascended to Godhood._

'_Hostile lifeform detected.'_  
San-Helios' barely functioning computer detected something amiss within the city Temple.  
Viola, James, and Parvati spent less time staring at the God of Destruction and more time investigating the disturbance that the computer had picked up. Within the Temple, the insides sparkled with the smothered gold. At it's very centre stood a robed figure, mask hiding their uppper face, leaving only the pale, decomposing mouth and jaw to be seen clearly. From each ear was a bizzare earring, resmebling an unfolded Nexus Key and the gem within.  
'_**I am Anatoa, I am the one awakened by Mankind's desires.**_' The voice was a deep echo, traces of Sharpe's own voice still lingered within, but the voice was entirely ethereal and alien. '_**What you see of me now is an avatar, sent to tell you that you need not be afraid. Your deaths will be swift and merciful. I have come to end your misery.'**_  
'Change of plans!' Viola replied. 'Go back to where you came from!'  
'_**I cannot leave until I have finished my task. Mankind must be made extinct.**_' She held out a hand the Nexus Key previously thrown out the window appeared within. '_**It is your desire.**_'  
'Fine. We'll make you leave.' James took a stance, the lance in his hands, ready to attack.

_Chapter 8: The Golden Horror_

_'Systems failing: 75%.'_  
San-Helios trembled as one of the supporting systems that kept it in the air shut down. Viola and James burst into the Temple, the preists within turned towards them, snarls of rage escaping rather then questions, inhuman sounds escaped from beneath the hoods. The golden robes were torn apart; revealing claws, leathery wings and skin, tentacles, and hundreds of burning eyes turning to look at them.  
'Oookay...' She patted James on the back. 'All yours. I'll stand over here and think about how this is going to give me nightmares.'

Fighting their way through, Viola immediatly headed to the Nexus Key.  
'Ouch!' She pulled her hand back as she lay touch on it. 'It's too hot!'  
Wrapping his hands in his scarf, James closed the Key and lifted it from the pedestal.  
'Ow-ow-ow-ow! Hohot! What-do-we-do-with-it?!'  
'We have to get it down to the town.'  
'Youch!' Hopping from foot to foot, James threw it out of the nearest window. 'Oops.'  
'What did you just-!? Wait... That might actually work!'  
'_Systems failing; 50%'_

The Nexus Key tumbled through the air as it hurtled towards the earth below. It crashed off of a roof and clattered to in the battle torn town square, left forgotten by the people battling against the Gohma. High above in San-Helios, Viola stared down.

'C'mon.. Work already!'

She looked to the skies, something sinister stirred in the dark...

In the town below, the Key was kicked around by human and Gohma alike in the chaos. It tumbled and rolled before finally stopping next to the Mahesvara statue, a member of the town was sent flying, he tumbled and rolled to a stop next to it. Barely alive, he crawled closer to the statue.

'Shiva... Guard us... Help... Us...'

'Ugh, it's not working!'  
Viola's annoyance was silenced as something sparkled below, the armada of ships faded and the earth below returned to it's calm state.  
'_Systems failing: 25%. Impact imminent.'_  
Ashcroft emerged back into the open air, staring up at the dark skies as the very air around him seemed to take on a golden tint.

Sharpe had left her office, looking over the Temple as to why the door to the past had closed. Charred bodies of unholy creatures littered the floor, the impossibility of their existence here shook her sanity. She questioned her own mental health as the statue of Anatoa came alive, hands and tentacles reaching out to grab her. She fought them as they snared her wrists and ankles, pulling her closer. A hand closed around her throat, causing her to vomit golden liquid uncontrollably. A dark fear settled in her heart as she struggled, before finally surrendering to the unrelenting flow of gold.

The skies above turned a tarnished yellow, a shockwave rocketing across the globe, a sheer crushing force knocked everyone to the floor, the breath knocked from them. Groaning, Viola picked herself from the ground, only for another shockwave to knock her back down and pin her to the floor with a unrelenting, crushing force. Her thoughts only ran along one line.  
This was it... The end. She was going to die.

Parvati looked over, Ashcroft struggled still, trying to resist the crushing force of the approaching cosmic horror. The sheer effort clear on his face, every inch an event.

Why...? Why get up? What was the point? He would only get hurt.

She began to sob pitifully at the thought, the pained cries of others across the globe joining her. Slowly, she surrendered to the blackness settling in her vision.

Still fueled only by an unfailing resolve, Ashcroft struggled. he fought with every ounce of strength he could muster. Even the thick air around him tried to force him back down.  
_It's futile! Stop struggling!_ _This is the end! _  
His arms began to buckle.  
_No more life! No more chaos! No more change!_ _My powers shall blanket all! _  
He looked over to Parvati, her eyes were shut and her breathing was rapid, short gasps of terror. Tears running from her eyes.  
_It is the true peace of the dead! Surrender!  
_'NEVER!' With a monumental effort he staggered to his feet, the pressure broken.

'How... Can he stand up...?' James looked up blearily, verging on unconsciousness, much like Viola next to him. 'Are you...?'  
_Can... he be...?_  
His consciousness faded.  
The pale blond's body felt light, crackling and overflowing with a new power. He glanced upward at the horror, so close now. With a small grunt, he vaulted over the egde of San-Helios and went into a free fall, body beginning to glow with a fiery white light.

Had anyone been conscious to see it, they would've witnessed a streak of fire shooting up to the skies and space beyond. The cosmic horror of Anatoa was forced back by a shockwave of fire and light. Reeling from the shock, the horror struck back, an amorphous mass of liquid gold, tentacles erupted from it's surface, rushing fowards to pierce through the earth and end it's miserable existence! An eldritch shriek bubbled across it's surface as the tentacles were seized by a colossal fist. It was dragged through the space, held to eye level of a cosmic, six armed figure, large enough to hold the earth in one hand and crush it in a fist. Long white hair flowed in the void, eyes of fire stared at it with disgust, a halo of sacred fire defied logic as it burned with a fury on their back. Eyes suddenly softened with worry, looking back over a hulking shoulder to stare at the world.

In San-Helios, a loud warning siren went out across the city, but with the populace of the world unconscious, none were able to react.

'_Systems failing._'  
With one final splutter, the power wound down.

'_Systems failed. Survival estimate projection: 0%.'_

Slowly, with metal creaking, the city began to fall from the sky, picking up speed into what would be a catastrophic explosion, capable of easily decimating the nearby town in the resulting firestorm. From all corners of the world, vicious winds whipped up, wrapping the city in a cocoon of air and cushioning it's fall. What would have been a devastation, was now reduced to a loud thump and a few tremors.

'Ugh...' Parvati recovered first, breathing in the fresh air, she looked around at the city, people still slumped unconscious around her, but some were starting to stirr. They were alive... By what miracle had they survived-?

She looked up at the skies and her heart jumped for joy.  
'My Lord... You are magnificent...'

'Great job, Asura...' James leant against a wall, watching the cosmic horror squirm in the God's grasp.  
_When this is all over, you understand what will happen, don't you?'  
_'When it's over... We'll forget, won't we?'  
_Yes... The rumours and beliefs will return to rumours and beliefs... The timeline will rectify itself._  
'That's good, right?'  
_Right..._ _Until then, let us watch a mortal ascended to Godhood._

'_Hostile lifeform detected.'_  
San-Helios' barely functioning computer detected something amiss within the city Temple.  
Viola, James, and Parvati spent less time staring at the God of Destruction and more time investigating the disturbance that the computer had picked up. Within the Temple, the insides sparkled with the smothered gold. At it's very centre stood a robed figure, mask hiding their uppper face, leaving only the pale, decomposing mouth and jaw to be seen clearly. From each ear was a bizzare earring, resmebling an unfolded Nexus Key and the gem within.  
'_**I am Anatoa, I am the one awakened by Mankind's desires.**_' The voice was a deep echo, traces of Sharpe's own voice still lingered within, but the voice was entirely ethereal and alien. '_**What you see of me now is an avatar, sent to tell you that you need not be afraid. Your deaths will be swift and merciful. I have come to end your misery.'**_  
'Change of plans!' Viola replied. 'Go back to where you came from!'  
'_**I cannot leave until I have finished my task. Mankind must be made extinct.**_' She held out a hand the Nexus Key previously thrown out the window appeared within. '_**It is your desire.**_'  
'Fine. We'll make you leave.' James took a stance, the lance in his hands, ready to attack.


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9: The New World._

Allen Ashcroft, Asura, Shiva, God of Destruction. He remembered it all now; Durga and Mithra, Chakravartin, a further incarnation managing to punch a meteor back into space. All of these achievements were _insignificant_ comapred to the limitless power he now possessed! The energies filled him- no, the life energies of the universe pulsed forth from him! He could remake creation as he saw fit!  
The little tentacled pest he turned to dust with a thought.  
This was something he could get used to-

_Father..._

What was that annoying sound?! Like an insignificant insect buzzing in his ear!

_Father, please..._

That voice... Mithra!  
In another plane they stood together, tears glistening in her eyes.

'Mithra, why are you crying...?'  
'Father, please stop this. This was how Chakravartin started.. First in small ways, but soon tearing down whole worlds at his leisure! Power corrupts!'  
'I...I-' he looked to her. 'I could bring you back. I could protect everyone. _I can do anything!'_  
'You can already do all that. You don't need Shiva's power.' Mithra shook her head. 'Let it go, please, Father. If you hold the power to decide who lives and dies on a whim...'

'It would make me a monster.'  
Mithra nodded, hugging him. 'See you soon.'  
The power of beliefs, it was a power that had torn down civilizations and drove countless people mad, wars had started over it and had almost caused the extinction of mankind. This was something no-one should have control over.

Looking back on the tiny planet, Shiva emitted a sigh of relief. Within San-Helios' Temple, Anatoa's avatar and the Nexus Key were blown to ashes on the wind. James blinked, wondering just how that had happened.  
'Ok...' Viola noted. 'Let's not piss of the big guy.'

A glowing figure touched down in the square outside city hall, the others hurried outside.  
'Allen!' Parvati grabbed him as he nearly fell over, the glow fading.  
'I'm... Glad I could... See you smile.' he managed before collapsing.  
'Medic!' James called out, looking around at the citizens. '_MEDIC!' _

Viola was into the city's communications in seconds flat. 'All medical personnel to converge on city hall immediatly.' She looked over to him. 'Hang in there, Ashcroft...'

Parvati hugged him to her the entire time.

'Don't leave me...'

_2 Years Later: _

With the warm sun on the side of her face, Parvati stood in a grassy field just outside of town. Within her arms was held a boquet of white flowers, staring at the stone monument before her. Shedding a few tears, she placed them at the monument's base.

'Please, accept these.'  
Footsteps padded across the field, stopping by her side, within their arms was held a cradle, designed to look like an open flower, a sleeping infant lay tucked comfortably within. Ashcroft's hand gently entwined with her own.  
'I am sure that they do.'

Upon the monument was an epitaph:

"_Here lie the victims of fate's machinations, cast down by rumours turned sour. May their souls find the path that leads them home."_

James Arvoy closed his notebook, placing it on the table before him and looking to Ashcroft with a warm smile.  
'Well, Mr Ashcroft, it seems that you have made a full recovery.'

'Thanks, Doc, I _feel_ more tranquil now.'

'How is your family?'  
'Fine, fine... Did I tell you? We've got a baby girl now?'  
'Really? Well, I must make a point to drop by and congratulate her.' He brushed a strand of his dark hair back.  
'Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?'

'... There is one more thing.' Ashcroft looked nervous 'It's like... There's this great big, _important_ thing... and I just can't seem to remember it.'  
'Hmm... If I may divulge your attention, I have seen the city's other psychologists, and they all agree that any and all traces of my second personality have vanished. Yet, I too feel that I have forgotten something important...' He shook his head, dispelling such thoughts. 'Viola has sunk her money into starting her own business. Given her expertise in computing, I think it may suit her.'  
He looked once more over Ashcroft's folder before shutting it.

'Case closed.'

_400 Years Later: _

Rain poured down on the city, caught in the midst of a vicious storm. People hurried for cover, under hoods, umbrellas, and jackets, leaving the walkways and streets empty and grey. The traffic continued on, whizzing through the air, the only bright colours were from the paintwork of the cars. Amidst the downpour of the bad weather, a lone figure stood on the middle of a walkway, hands grasping the metal railing, white hair plastered down, clothing drenched and clinging to his muscular frame. Head bowed slightly, he stared into the darkness beneath the walkway, trying to overcome the stirrings of vertigo in his heart and head. They said the weather was going to improve later.

The pattering of rain against an umbrella, accompanied by bootsteps.  
'You'll catch a cold out here.'  
The white haired man said nothing.  
'Look, you _are_ going to get ill, Durga will be teaching all week, and there's no way that _I'm_ looking after you.'  
The other man still stared off, stopping only to sneeze.  
'Ugh... C'mon. I'm going to have my neice moaning at me and doing that pouty cheek act.'  
'_I'm tired of diets!'_ An advertisement glowed from the holographic screen on one of the buildings. '_I'm fed up with going to the gym! Why can't I find something that works and tastes good?!'_ The lavender haired figure took a sharp gulp from the soda can, grinning cheesily. '_Mmm! That's good!'_ _Sodaize! The only drink endorsed by famous actor and dancer, me, Sergei!'_  
Yasha simply stared blankly at it. 'That kid's so wired on energy drinks he could be plugged in to light up the city...'  
He turned back to his brother-in-law.  
'Just get inside before your cold gets any worse.' Under the safety of his umbrella, Yasha shook his head at the other's stubbornness.

'In ancient times, a great evil threatened our race.' A young woman with dark purple hair stood with a holographic screen behind her, showing a calm blue ocean, her students before her, at their desks. 'We were saved from extinction by a mighty Deity, who is said to walk amongst us today, looking out on the world as one of us, waiting and watching, should we ever be besiged again. His wrath upon such enemies would scorch the skies and land with unimaginable fury.'  
Durga folded her arms, glad to have the class' attention. They seemed especially taken with the image of the three headed, six armed warrior now displayed on screen.

'Back in those days, it was said that there was a city that hovered in the skies above, and that Heliopolis now is built on the ruins of it. Back then they lived under the protection of a temple funded government. Now we live in this bustling city under the protection of the Fayreview Corporation. Strange, isn't it?'

'S...'s not easy, being me, y'know...?'

Empty glasses filled the table before the two men, now both dry. The vast majority belonging to the muscular figure with spiked white hair.  
'Yes, it must be hard, being an aggressive drunk.' Yasha muttered, voice thick with sarcasm as he sat opposite him, dressed in jeans and a black shirt- the back emblazoned with golden wings, a white scarf wrapped lazily around his neck, perhaps in a half hearted attempt to conceal the sunglasses hanging from the collar, sunglasses he had put on when the weather had been in a better mood.  
'D-don't start annoying me, Y-Yasha.'  
'I think you've had enough.'  
Heels clicked across the small stage as a spotlight came on, a woman in a low cut, shimmering silver dress took the microphone as a soft, solemn tune began to play. She ran a hand through her pale blonde hair, amber eyes sparkling in the light, she began to sing softly.

In the ruins of an ancient tower, a lone explorer invesitgated rumours of knowledge and treasure, dreaming of glory all the while. He had heard the tales of ancient Gods, that there had once been a village here who had worshipped the one who had saved this world from a golden monster. He took a moment to consider it. His attention shifted as the air burned, a six armed figure seated in meditation appeared, surrounded by a halo of fire and a necklace of shrunken skulls around his neck. Three burning eyes opened to stare at him, an amused smirk tugging on his lips.  
The explorer fled, screaming, from this apparition. It soon faded.  
Within the crumbling ruins of what once been the tower's spire, something glinted sinisterly in the evening sunlight, sparkling a tarnished gold...

Now the sun had finally come out, setting the evening sky ablaze with orange light. The sun had set just behind the Fayreview Corporation's head offices; one building that split into two towers, a beam of soft blue light reaching up between them, and it cast a reassuring shape against the oncoming night.

'Sergei! Sergei!  
A crowd of shrieking girls- and some guys- followed the lavender haired star down the street, papers, pens, and cameras held at the ready.  
'Oh, well look at you, you all love me! Aren't you all just so beautiful!? Flowers? For me?! Oh, thank you! You're all so lovely! Oh, hello, little one... An autograph? Ok!'  
Durga returned to the rest of her family, watching the young girl take the signed photo back from the actor before finally hurrying back to her family.

'Daddy, look! I met Sergei!' Mithra all but jumped into her father's arms.

'Did you...?' Asura was once again sober, but the headache and stentch of booze was nearly overwhelming, Durga could certainly notice it, given the looks she kept shooting him. He glanced over to see the actor smiling as he flicked his hair, a fan on either arm, posing for a photo.

_Arrogant pretty-boy._

The night sky became streaked with light, shooting stars in the distance. The city itself had been lit up by the towering skyscrapers and the headlights of the traffic.  
'Beautiful.' Durga noted, looking up at the shooting stars above.  
None of them found it very beautiful when some of the stars began to hit the area outside of the city, one even smashing through the left tower of the Corporation where it fell into the depths below the bridges and walkways. People ran screaming as buildings caught fire and signs exploded.  
With a frightened whimper, Mithra clung to her father's side. A deep growl growing in Asura's throat at the incoming danger... A strange desire flooding his veins once again.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Bonus Chapters:**_

_Excerpts from alternate timestreams: _

_**Scenario #1: **__If Viola had Anatoa's Nexus Key..._

_The Fayreview Corporation's search into a clean, renewable energy source have led to the processing and refinement of people's beliefs into an energy form known as Proto-Mantra. In more recent years, Karma Reactors were installed over various cities across the glove and are overseen by the collective AI, Praxis. With the main corporate building in Heliopolis, nearly every device is powered by this energy. _

_Chapter Zero: Restoration. _

Heliopolis,  
8855 AD:

Rain poured down on the city, caught in the midst of a vicious storm. People hurried for cover, under hoods, umbrellas, and jackets, leaving the walkways and streets empty and grey. The traffic continued on, whizzing through the air, the only bright colours were from the paintwork of the cars. Amidst the downpour of the bad weather, a lone figure stood on the middle of a walkway, hands grasping the metal railing, white hair plastered down, clothing drenched and clinging to his muscular frame. Head bowed slightly, he stared into the darkness beneath the walkway, trying to overcome the stirrings of vertigo in his heart and head. They said the weather was going to improve later.

The pattering of rain against an umbrella, accompanied by bootsteps.  
'You'll catch a cold out here.'  
The white haired man said nothing.  
'Look, you _are_ going to get ill, Durga will be teaching all week, and there's no way that _I'm_ looking after you.'  
The other man still stared off, stopping only to sneeze.

Yasha shook his head at the others stubbornness, his gaze turning to look up at the Fayreview Corporation; the central structure split into two towers, a pale green light reached up between, to where they were joined once again as the bright golden eight tipped monument, the very centre glowing with a cloudy green light; the city's Karma Reactor.

Through the storms, security cameras continued to scan over the entire city.  
One of the cameras focused on a small hole in the wall, a dark red goo dripping from within.

"_Gohma breach. Heliopolis contaminated. Secure Residental District and initiate Purge Protocols."_  
The Residential section of the city was sealed off, leaving the people within trapped. Durga's own class was interrupted by the screen behind her turning into one of a dark blood red, warning signs scrolling across it along with text.

'_Attention: Citizens within Residential areas will be escorted to secure locations by military personnel.'_

A white haired male stroked his beard as he looked over the display screens before him, his office was on one of the highest floors of Fayreview Corporation.  
'Praxis, why are you dispatching military personnel to the Residental?'  
'_Director Deus, the Purge Protocols have been initiated. All citizens within are now at risk of contamination, and must be Purged.' _ The computer responded.  
'But is this really needed?'  
'_Their essence will be refined. Fear not. I shall not put them to waste.'_

'Have any citizens been attacked by the Gohma?'

'_Negative.'_  
'Have any of them reported seeing a Ghoma?'  
'_Negative.'_  
'Then why... Why would you Purge them!?'

'_It is protocol.'_  
'Protocol to incinerate innocent people?'

'_This is of your design, Director.'_  
Deus was on his feet. 'Yes, but I never wanted them to be put into effect! Cancel the Purge Protocol, I am the Director of this Corporation! If you-'

'_Correction, Director. I am in charge of the Corporation, you trust me with the public's safety. Fear not, I will erdicate the Gohma contamination threat within the city. Additional: Upon the Purging of citizens within the Residental, I calculate a 92.6% probability of the energy requirements to exterminate Gohma forces have been met.'_

'_This is a Heliopolis announcement. The Residential district is now under quarantime. Transfer requests will not be granted. All violators will be treated as enemy combatants. Repeat: This is a Heliopolis announcement...'_  
The evening sun blazed down on Heliopolis, filling a dark day with the last few rays of light before the night set in.

'This is rash, Asura.'  
The two of them stood in a plaza of the residential district, the two of them looking down calmly on the people who were being ushered behind barriers, kept penned in like cattle.

'They have my wife and child, your sister and niece! Do you honestly not care?!'  
'I just don't think it's rather clever to charge head first into the military forces. Instead...' Yasha's gaze wandered across a maintanence path under a nearby walkway, forgotten by the military and the path beyond sparsely guarded. 'We could cut around them and hit them from their blindside.'

Asura nodded softly, starting to walk off before Yasha seized his arm, voice a deep growl.  
'Don't you _ever_ assume that I don't care...'

'I-I don't understand why you won't let me leave!' A woman grabbed the bars before her, staring out at the armed soldier pacing around, keeping an eye on them. 'What have I done wrong?!'

'Lower Residential quarantined.' The soldier spoke into his communicator.

'_Confirmed. Proceed with your patrol.'_ The cool male voice replied.  
'... What do you plan to do with them-?'  
'_No questions.'_  
The soldier turned, suddenly sent spinning to the floor by a massive punch to the face.  
Some members of the crowd seemed outraged.  
'Why?!'  
'You can't just go around punching people!'  
'What's wrong with you?!'

'This is not what Viola Fayreview would have wanted, Praxis!'  
'_The Founder did not have Gohma contamination in her era. She had no knowledge of these events. But had she existed in our era, I calculate a 45% probability that she would have agreed with my Purge plans. What is the cost of a few, in service of many?'_

'Your calculations are _wrong!_'  
'_The human mind is flawed. Mine is not. Initiating final stages of Purge Protocols.'_

'Come quietly!'  
Yasha leant to the side, avoiding a strike from the butt of a weapon. The guard wielding such a weapon was spun on his heels, grabbed by the front of his armour and given a sharp uppercut to the gut by Asura, the force of the blow launching him skywards. Yasha, the more agile of the two, followed up with airbone moves and acrobatics, finally slamming the soldier down into the ground once again, touching down just behind.

'Ugh...' The soldier spluttered blood, not moving again.

'Mommy... I'm scared.'  
'It's going to be alright...' Durga held the young girl tightly, vowing that she would never left her go again. Even through her soft reassurances, worry and fear had settled in her own heart. Such a thing had never happened before, the people were being penned in and...

What would happen next?

'_Lockdown failure. Contaminated citizens are escaping into other zones of the city. Cause of citizen escape located. Scanning citizen files... Strategy acquired...'_  
The two of them setting the citizens free skidded to a stop, staring at the screen which had changed from a warning display to show a chamber within the Corporation building, a feed from a security camera; Durga hugging Mithra as she sobbed to her mother.

'_Incineration will initiate in five minutes.'_

'I-Incineration?!' Yasha gasped, shocked.

The look on the other's face spoke only of a patriachal fury gone beyond any seen before.

'_Security breached. All Corporation personnel at arms.'_

The doors to the Corporation were all but thrown off their hinges, guards startled and soon shot down by weapons concealed by the smoke.

'Deus... Director of the Fayreview Corporation...' Yasha tossed an empty weapon aside, it powered down with a loud whine as it clattered to the floor next to a dead guard. 'He ordered this-'  
'He deserves a painful death!'  
He nodded at Asura's clear fury. 'He shall recieve one, by both our hands.'

'Uh-oh... Now we're in trouble...'  
On the 500th floor of the right tower, one staff member looked over the security feeds, the guards being wiped out at a shocking speed. With one tap of the key an alarm went off throughout the entire structure. 'Everybody at arms! They're on their way up!'

One of them split from their consoles, moving over to the frosted glass door of the Director's office.  
'Sir-?'  
The door was locked tight.

'Why is this-?! Sir, it's no safer in there!'  
No response came from the other side.

_238_

_239_

_240_

The numbers continued to whirl up as the elevator climbed higher up the right tower.  
Asura glared at the counter, with arms folded.

'Faster... C'mon...'

_262  
263  
264_

'Praxis, this is an emergency, you've got to close down the elevators!'  
The staff had gathered in a huddled mass, terrified.  
'_Attention: Gohma contamination has reached over 80%.'_  
'Never mind the Gohma! _They_ are going to kill us!'

_497  
498  
499_

_500_

The doors slid open with a silent hiss, the two within marched out, weapons ready. The employees ran and hid, cowering in corners and under desks.  
'Everybody move aside! No-one tries anything, and no-one gets hurt.' The terrified staff listened to Yasha's commands without question, one woman breaking into sobs.

The door to the director's office was kicked straight off it's hinges, crashing to the floor where it shattered into a thousand shards, skittering across the floor.  
'Monster!' Asura launched himself across the room, towards the chair behind the fancy desk, before the window that overlooked the city. 'Those people! My wife! My child! _Return them to me!'_  
He grabbed the back of the chair and span it to face him-  
'What...?' A tang of some chemical left on the air...  
Deus slumped in his chair, dead, eyes bloodshoot and body frozen in a look lifeless terror.  
Had... The room been filled with toxic gas and Deus left to choke?  
But then...

Who had...?

'_You acted within the expected parameters, citizen.'_ The screens switched from their warning signs to show the Corporation's logo, slowly rotating. Files of both himself and Yasha pulled on screen. '_Citizen Asura, psychological reports indicating possible agressive tendancies. Citizen Yasha, information pertaining to alcoholism and past bouts of severe depression. A common link detected in the form of a common familli bond.'_  
'What are you...?'  
'_I am Praxis. I am the artificial intelligence that contorls the Karma Reactor of Heliopolis and maintains order within the city.'_  
'Where is my family?! What happened to _him_?'

'_Director Deus did not see the long-term benefits of the Purge Protocols. Incineration of infected citizenry would permit the Proto-Mantra required for worldwide eradication of Gohma forces. The Director was Purged by halon gas while trying to override my core functions.'  
_Asura simply stared at it. 'Where. Is. My. Family?'  
The files on the screen changed, showing the files of Durga and Mithra. Both listed as deceased...  
'_Information: Files on Citizen Asura and Citizen Yasha indicate extensive combat history. A weakness is within the Human heart to care deeply for family members...'_

Yasha gave out a pained cry, feeling a tazer hit him in the back, electricity jolting through his limbs and forcing him to the floor.

'_The image of Citizen Durga and Citizen Mithra was created from a holographic projection and imprinted Duplicates. Incineration of contaminated citizenry commenced three minutes prior to that announcement.'_  
That hit Asura like a fist in the chest. Did it just...?  
It had just told him that they had been chasing a red herring, while the real Mithra and Durga had been put through the incinerator?!

'You killed them! While you sent me here!?'  
'_Confirmed.'_ Elite guard stormed into the chamber, one restraining Yasha with glowing handcuffs. '_Combat history verified. Arrested intruders shall be taken to Operations for neural citywide Purge.'_  
'Yasha! Yasha, get up!' Asura bellowed, looking over at the arrested figure, defeated. The other guards piled on him, pinning his own hands back.

'Yasha! _Yasha!_'

_2 Months Later: _

'_Commence report of Subject Alpha and Subject Beta. 62 days prior, the combat effectiveness of Originals were confirmed with the Gohma contamination in the past. Citizen Asura and Citizen Yasha were provided with goals versus the Fayreview Corporation Security Regiment. The Citizens acted within expected parameters. Upon correct configuration to neural scans, contaminated materials were incinerated, and mental and biometric data were transfered to military model Duplicates in order to conduct combat testing for effeciency.'_

_For this mission, the memories of the Subjects have been erased and stored on a back-up databank. Mission Objective: Eradicate Gohma contamination currently infecting construction enviroment.'_

_'Initiate combat protocols.'_  
Within the crumbling, burned ruins of what had once been a city, construction drones had been deactivated with the incoming threat of Gohma. A bright light formed into two human figures, one with dark eyes and darker hair, the other with hair purest white, both of them armoured and armed with the latest in implanted MantraDrive technology. Both stared ahead with blank, unblinking gazes.  
'_Confirm mission objectives recieved.'_ Praxis' voice demanded.

'Understood.' The dark haired male replied.

'I will obey.' Confirmed the other.  
Forms burning with crimson and sapphire flames respectively, they charged forwards to attack the Gohma.

'_Gohma forces eradicated. Mission complete. Return to Corporation.'_  
'Ugh...' Asura rubbed his head in frustration, the crimson flames flickering still.  
'Asura, what is it?'  
'I just... Feel this sense... That I want to crush and destroy that... The Corporation until nothing's left.'  
Yasha looked away, one hand over his heart. 'Why do I feel so sad? Like I've lost someone I care about-'  
'_Repeat; Subjects Alpha and Beta will return to the Corporation for proccessing and combat improvements.'  
_Returning to a neutral stance, their forms dissolved into a white light once again.

'_Military Duplicates acted within predicted parameters. The Shinkoku Restoration Project is proceeding according to all predictions. However, there is still a 87.5% probability of citizen resistance. Under such an event, Subject Alpha and Subject Beta will be deployed under riot supression and order preservation protocols, Purging unrestful citizens if the need is required._

Additional: Combat Subjects experienced memory flux. Sensors detected trace amounts of energy from the Karma Reactor, and energy from what human records indicate as "Shiva". Emotional peaks different from that of the assigned Mantras indicated an event that is commonly refered to by humans as the "Heart" of an emotional term.

Subject for research: Does the entity named "Shiva" exist? Does this entity function on the beliefs of humans, much in the same way as the Proto-Mantra?  


_Construction drones will continue with Shinkoku Project now that Gohma forces have been eradicated. Upon completion of Project, Corporation AI "Praxis" will be set to overseeing the flow of Proto-Mantra throughout the city and guide humanity down a path towards the future envisoned by EarthGov two thousand years prior. Successful symbiosis candidates will be elevated to "Demi-God" status, failures will be exiled and eventually Purged to be refined into Proto-Mantra. _

_End Report. _

_**Scenario #2:**__ After the battle with Anatoa, Asura ignores Mithra's voice of reason..._

_The Lord of Dissolution, God of Destruction, Shiva rules the cosmos, all other faces and pasts now lost and dissolved into this one life. Without Asura in the cycle of reincarnation, the people of Gaea are kept under the thumb of a fierce and mighty God... _

_Given Asura's past statements of refusing to be prayed to, this timeline seems to have sprung from a paradox. _

_Chapter Zero: Divine. _

_8855 AD: _

_San-Helios plantations: _

A woman with dark purple hair groaned, struggling to stand up straight amidst the field of crops around her, all of them ready to be harvested. The main cause of her burden was the basket full of freshly harvested crops on her back, another bundle of them in her arms. She assumed that this would suffice for her quota, she hoped that this would do.

Struggling back across the fields, Durga shifted the crops in her arm, moving the feather pattered hairband to keep more of her hair out of her eyes.  
'Yasha, could you help me, please?'  
Her brother stood up from his own harvesting, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Holding a bunch in one arm he moved to help her.  
'Here, give me the basket.'  
'Are you sure, Yasha?'  
'I can manage. I don't want you to hurt yourself, my dear sister.'

After some reluctance, she finally handed over the crop filled basket to her sibling, who slung it over his own shoulder.

'I heard that the town down by the river, they didn't make last months devotions, so their crops withered, the river dried up, and their village burned in a freak accident.' Yasha made conversation as they walked. 'It's a pity, but it's ultimately their own fault.'

'Yes.' Durga nodded. 'Yasha... Can I confide in you?'  
'Of course.'  
'At night, I keep waking up... Thinking I can hear someone calling my name, and a child crying.'  
'But you don't have any children.' Yasha pointed out. 'You kept saying that you would "Wait for the right guy".'  
'... I'm still waiting.' She admitted sadly.

Within the town, the field workers had ended the day's harvest with the setting sun. As night fell they gathered in the town square, lit ceremonial torches around the statue of their Deity. He was someone that Durga had always felt this massive pull to, and it was not just the constant, overhanging threat of utter obliteration under the being's fury. There was a respect that she held for his power and might, how she believed that he protected them all from the harm of wild animals. In all honesty... She found him quite handsome.

After all the proper ceremonies were said and done, the town retired to bed, only to be woken in the midst of the night by a ranting lunatic who had travelled into town.  
'Dear people, I come to free you from the shackles of brutality! Your God is a brutal tyrant who does not deserve your worship and adoration-!'

The man suddenly doubled over, vomitting blood and clutching at his heart in pain before finally collapsing to the floor, a twitching mess.  
'_Do not fear his death. He was a worthless mass of flesh and blood.'_  
All eyes turned to the powerful figure with long white hair flowing in the night breeze, eyes of fire looked distastefully down on the dead man. '_But I see before me each and every one of you, loyal, devoted people.'_  
A warmness settled within each of them at his smile.

'_You...'_  
He held out a hand, one of the town's merchants stumbled towards him, charmed and drawn.  
'_Tell me now... Tell me the worth of your life, the proof of your existence.'_

'M-my Lord, I live to serve you in all your will and glory.'

Moments passed in silence, then the smile was twisted into a frown, the warmth was replaced by a frigid chill. The God emitted an exhausted sigh, and the man turned into dust on the air.  
'_A pity. Can someone else here please state the proof of their worth?'_  
More were drawn up, more stated their devotion, their achievements, their life's worth. All were killed horribly.  
With a faint smile tugging at his lips, he turned to Durga.

'_So, what can your family prove to me which no-one else has?'_  
'...I know your face-' Durga's words were drowned in a pained cry, she stared down at the blade protrouding from her stomach. Her hands trembled as she looked at it. Looking now over her shoulder, she saw Yasha's face, his eyes glinting and wide with madness.  
'Ask my sister!' He bellowed. 'Ask her who's blade it is that her blood now runs down!'

'Yasha...' She begged, tears falling.  
'_To sacrifice a sibling in cold blood to prove your worth...?'_ He watched Durga collapse, bleeding out onto ground, the woman looking blearily up at her brother, driven mad by powers beyond his understanding.  
'_Impressive.'_  
Durga surrendered into darkness.

_**Scenario #3:**__ A family out on a picnic._

_On a field outside of Heliopolis, a family has settled for a picnic in the warm summer. In a sideplot that no-one will care about by the end of it, Sergei and Olga stalk them in hopes of uncovering the location of treasure._

_Chapter Zero: Watermelon_

'Oh, look at the state of her.' Durga looked at her daughter the young girl's mouth and hands covered in the juice from the fruit. 'Pass me those hand wipes, before it gets all sticky.'  
Yasha quickly withdrew them from a bag, passing them to Asura to be passed on to Durga.  
In a sparse moment, the two men brushed hands, Yasha ripped his own back like he had been burned.  
'Oh, for goodness sake.' Durga muttered, struggling to clean her young daughter as she fussed and squirmed. 'It was one night, you were both piss drunk blind. Neither of you meant it. Get over it.'

On a hill overlooking the field, a pale blonde woman lay on her chest, peering down through binoculars at the family below.  
'What can you make out?' Sergei demanded, looking over a yellowing piece of paper, their treasure map.  
'Shh!' Olga demanded. 'I'm trying to read their lips...'  
'If you're reading their lips, then why do I need to be quiet?'  
'Shh!'  
Sergei sat down on the grassy ground, brushing some of his lavender hair back. Moments passed in silence between the two. He lay down, watching the clouds.  
'Anything?'  
'Something about.. Hand wipes... Piss drunk blind... And getting all sticky.'  
Sergei sat up, confused. 'What sort of picnic is this?! There is a child present!'  
'There are some strange sexual deviants in this world...' He lay back down, waiting for more information.

'C'mon now, Mithra, be a good girl and let me clean you up.'  
'Mmmph!' The young girl squirmed in desperation as the cloth was wiped over her face and hands.  
'This girl is going to be a nightmare as a teenager...'  
'Yasha-'

'Don't talk to me, Asura.'

'About that night-'  
'I'm not listening.'  
'I didn't realise-'  
'Maybe you should've when you _groped _me!'  
Durga glared to both of them. 'Stop it! It's over! I don't care what happened, but now I want us all to be together as a family, enjoying a day out, the watermelon, and forget about the drunken elephant in the tutu!'

'...? They now seem to be discussing a nightmare, involving a drunken elephant in a tutu trying to grope a watermelon...' Olga's brow furrowed in confusion. 'What do these people _eat_ before bed?!'  
'Any word on the treasure?' Sergei wondered, examining his finely manicured nails out of boredom.  
'Nothing yet- But now the young child has crawled off... The mother appears to be trying to tempt it back with a biscuit.'

'I hope the poor child escapes, she'd be better off in the wild than with that family.'

'You take your eyes off her for a second and she's off like a rocket...'  
Durga was on her feet chasing after the girl who was crawling off at a frightening pace through the grass. 'Come back to mommy, my little treasure!'  
Without Durga or Mithra nearby, Yasha stared at the blanket they sat on before suddenly moving and quickly pinning Asura down.

'Don't keep going on about it!' He hissed through gritted teeth.  
'Why not? It's not like she suspects anything.'  
'Do you really love her?' Yasha demanded.

'Of course.'  
'Leave it then!'

'You realise, Yasha, she could come back at any moment and find you straddling me.'  
Yasha thought that over for a second before springing back off.

'Ooo! The woman is talking about treasure!'

Sergei was by her side in an instant.  
'Where is it hidden?'  
'They didn't say...'

Groaning, the more flamboyant of the two returned to the grassy ground.  
'We are going to be here all day...'


End file.
